I gave this book a chance. I listened to this book up until 25%. Sadly, i had to stop and DNF. Normally, i love Melissa Ferguson writing. Her last novel was a favorite of last year, but sadly, this just wasn't my cup of tea. The writing of the characters seemed a bit childish. The narrators were terrible. Maybe reading this would have been better for me. Because it i can get into a narrator, it really ruins the whole book. Giving this 2 stars, who knows, i might come back to it, but putting it aside

The one sided rivalry from Finn, filled with many petty attempts at payback towards Lavender Rose was hilarious. Really enjoyed how Lavender Rose was oblivious towards his payback attempts and always worked in her favor. It was an entertaining read, loved the plot from beginning to end. The narrators were great, the male narrator gave an excellent performance as Finn's grumpy voice.

Thank you so much to Thomas Nelson Audio for the ALC!

This is my 3rd book by Melissa Ferguson now and I've really come to look forward to whatever she puts out each year! When I saw this cover, I knew I had to have it! And the synopsis? Adorable!

I really enjoyed this one overall, especially on audio- the narrators were fabulous. The male narrator was possibly one of the best I've ever heard and I listen to over 100 audiobooks per year!

The plot itself was cute and had relatively low angst, so perfect for a palette cleanser read!

While the story flowed well and was very readable, I personally would have enjoyed a little more romance and for the characters to fall a little sooner. There was not much love interest for the first half at least of the book and then when it finally happened at the end, it seemed a tad rushed for me. Since I enjoyed both characters so much, I wish I could have SEEN them fall in love for a longer period of time!

Overall, still an enjoyable read and I can't wait to see what Melissa does next!

3.5 stars rounded up for GR

How to Plot a Payback started off a little slow for me but shortly after I was hooked. I listened in one sitting and ended up really enjoying it. It is definitely a fun read with romance and comedy intertwined between charismatic characters Lavender and Finn.

Narrators Fiona Hardingham and Steve West both did phenomenal jobs bringing these two characters to life with their back and forth banter and spot on accents. I felt like I was right there in the story with them.

If you're looking for a delightful, light hearted rom-com then I highly recommend How to Plot a Payback. You will absolutely feel warm and fuzzy afterwards.

Thank you HarperCollins Christian Publishing, author Melissa Ferguson, and NetGalley for this Advanced Listening Copy.

She’s the star of America’s favorite sitcom. He’s just been hired as a producer of the show- The only problem is, he can’t stand her. For as long as he can remember, Finn has blamed all his lives problems on the famous actress, Lavender Rhodes. After being hired onto the show, he begins to plot his payback. But what happens as Finn gets to know Lavender , and finds out maybe she isn't at all like he thought she was?

The audiobook for this was amazing, I felt like I was listening to two friends speak!!! I loved getting to hear both POV's of Lavender and Finn from Fiona Hardingham and Steve West. The narration kept me so engaged & the accents really added to the story for me.

This was a laugh-out-loud funny & wholesome love story. It was packed with witty humor, drama, slow-burn romance, and an overall feel good story. In-spite of Finn's petty revenge, I found both characters to be so loveable & was very invested in their love story. Even during Finn's childish payback, the romance was there & once he got over it, it was even better. I love a couple who just makes sense together. I was smiling SOOOOOO big during their first kiss, like full on gushing.

"Lavender Rhodes takes my well-laid plans and throws them out the window, no matter what, I can't ever seem to take control of the situation around her. I plan to destroy her, but backtrack to the point of apology. I plan to stay as far away from her as possible, but end up beside her. I plan to hate her, but somehow fall in love with her."

A fun romcom full of nemeses, hijinks, & cute pups. Finn is a screenwriter and gets the perfect gig on a popular show. The only thing not perfect—the show’s star, Lavender, ruined his life as a kid and he’s held a grudge ever since. Forced to work in close proximity, Finn starts plotting out ways to get payback, and each backfires more than the last, but perhaps the worst result is realizing she’s not so bad, after all.
This novel is definitely more comedy than romance which made it a fun read, but I wasn’t a big fan of either main character and had trouble connecting to them as a reader.
Narration by Fiona Hardingham and Steve West helped bring Finn and Lavender to life and they did a great job.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson fiction and. Zondervan audio for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.